The American Spectator

GEN. MATTIS ALSO IMPLICITLY took exception to conservative defense analysts like Weekly Standard contributor Thomas Donnelly, who seem to think that increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps will solve most of our military challenges. But a larger — and thus more bureaucratic — force structure may be exactly what is not needed to win the war against Islamic fascism.

As the General explained, “We’re seeing a re-criminalization of war. And that means we need to get small units, not big armies… Small units so capable that, as we close with the enemy, they’re transformed into something that is as capable as our air units and sea units have been in shutting down the threats to this country over the last 30 years.”

Some critics have alleged that Gen. Mattis’s’ comments reflect a dangerous military mindset that gave rise to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. However, for any of the Marines who served under him, it is impossible to imagine a scandal like Abu Ghraib happening on the General’s watch.

That’s because Gen. Mattis always made it his business to know what was happening in his command; and he did not tolerate stupidity and abuse by his Marines. We all understood this because he communicated well and often his expectations. Those expectations included his demand to “keep your honor clean” and to treat the Iraqis “as you would your own family, with dignity and respect.”

Let’s hope this reality is included in the movie, destined to come, about Gen. Mattis, the Marine Corps, and Iraq. This would be a refreshing change from Hollywood’s recent depictions of the U.S. military. And it would rightly honor a man and a warrior who is truly an American hero.